PATASKALA, Ohio — In 2020, 10TV presented a story about a Pataskala business building a customer base by using the honor system. Wagy Acres Farm was selling tomatoes, bread and soap at a price (or no price) determined by the customer.
When Chad Wagy opened the greenhouse doors that showcased the impressive 150 tomato plants it was easy to see this was the heart of the operation.
Now, when those doors are opened today, the blank space gives Wagy motivation for what he’d like to get back to.
“Farming has been in my blood all my life,” he said. “So, for us just to stop not only tomato production, but the animals, it’s just hard.”
The tomatoes are gone as are the animals they cared for. They’ve been sold off.
The reason is Wagy’s health.
He’s had a tracheotomy since 2010. Over the past year a slow progression of kidney disease gave way to kidney failure. Now, instead of asking customers to live by the honor system, he’s asking for a new kidney.
According to Lifeline of Ohio more than 3,100 people in the state, and 700 in central Ohio, are waiting for an organ transplant. Across the nation, that number is at more than 106,000. Last year, central and southern Ohio saw 446 lives saved due to organ donation, which is an almost 17 percent jump from 2019, according to Lifeline of Ohio.
While waiting on the O-positive match, the new kidney and waiting through dialysis three times a week at four hours each time, Wagy is calling, once again, for the honor system and relying solely on the goodwill and the good faith of complete strangers.
“If you have that in your blood or in your motivation to do, do it,” Wagy said. “You could drastically change somebody’s life.”
Wagy says anyone wanting to inquire about organ donation can call the OSU Organ Transplant Center at 614-293-6724.